As we reported on September 29, in The Lead, The Rt. Rev. David Beetge, Bishop of Highveld, Southern Africa has died.
Dean David Bannerman writes on the Highveld web site:
His death is a profound loss to our Diocese, the Anglican Church of Southern Africa the Anglican Communion and the wider church. He was for us a man with a deep spirituality who engaged compassionately with the issues of his day in Church, South African society and the world at large. His wisdom, wit, integrity and compassion will be sorely missed as our bishop, teacher, pastor and friend to so many.
Biography of Bishop Beetge is here.
Below is the Press Release on his death by the Anglican Church of Southern Africa:
Press Release –Announcement of the death of Anglican Bishop David Beetge
The Anglican Church of Southern Africa has announced with deep regret the death of its second most senior bishop, the Right Revd David Beetge, Bishop of the Highveld.
Bishop Beetge died on Saturday, aged 59. He had contracted septicemia. He had been undergoing chemotherapy for Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
As Dean of the Province in the Anglican Church, he was the most senior bishop after the Archbishop of Cape Town, the Most Revd Thabo Makgoba. He also served the worldwide Anglican Communion as co-chair of an international commission which promotes unity with the Roman Catholic Church.
Bishop Beetge served in a diocese which stretched from the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality (formerly the East Rand) to the Swaziland and KwaZulu/Natal borders. He was a well-known pastor in the townships of the East Rand during the height of the violence during South Africa’s transition to democracy between 1990 and 1994.
Archbishop Makgoba issued the following statement today:
It is with the deepest regret that I have to announce the death of the Right Revd David Beetge, Bishop of the Highveld, at the age of 59.
As Dean of the Province, Bishop David was the second most senior bishop in our hierarchy. He also served the worldwide Anglican Communion with great distinction as co-chairman of the International Anglican/Roman Catholic Commission on Unity and Mission (IARCCUM).
Bishop David died on Saturday September 27 after contracting septicemia. He had been undergoing chemotherapy for Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
He was an outstanding and exemplary leader of our church, a man of deep spirituality and prayer, and we give God thanks for his life and witness.
He leaves his wife, Carol. On behalf of the Church in Southern Africa, I express our deepest condolences to her and to their family. There will be a Requiem Mass for Bishop David at 10 am on Friday October 3, at St. Dunstan’s School in Benoni.
The Most Revd Thabo Makgoba
September 30, 2008
Biographical background
(With acknowledgements to the Diocese of the Highveld)
David Beetge was born in Witbank, South Africa in October 1948. He worked in commerce until his late 20s, completing his Chartered Institute of Secretaries and Administrators examination and becoming company secretary of ICI (South Africa) Limited.
He received his theological education at the former St Paul’s Theological College in Grahamstown. He subsequently obtained both his Bachelors and Honours Degrees in Theology through the University of South Africa. He obtained his Master’s Degree in Theology from the University of Natal.
He was ordained Deacon at St Mary’s Cathedral, Johannesburg in December 1980 and was ordained Priest at the same cathedral in December 1981. In 1981 and 1982 he served as curate at St Boniface’s Church, Germiston and in June 1983 he completed a three-month course on Ignatian Spirituality at St. Beuno’s, Wales.
He was instituted as Rector of St Boniface’s Church, Germiston in April 1984 and as Rector and Archdeacon of Springs in January 1987.
When two new dioceses were created in the eastern and western regions of the old Diocese of Johannesburg in 1990, Bishop David was elected bishop for the eastern diocese, which was first called the Diocese of South Eastern Transvaal. It was renamed in 1998 as the Diocese of the Highveld. The diocese stretches from the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality (formerly the East Rand) to the Swaziland and KwaZulu/Natal borders, also incorporating the Eastern Highveld region of Mpumalanga.
In addition to his duties as Dean of the Province, Bishop David served in the following positions: Liaison Bishop for Provincial Staff; Liaison Bishop and Chair of Anglican HIV/AIDS programmes for Southern Africa; Co-Chairman of Anglican-Roman Catholic Bishops’ Consultation; Deputy Chairman of the CPSA Pension Fund Board Trustees (including the Pension Board Investment Advisory Committee); the Anglican Consultative Council Episcopal representative (Nottingham 2005); World Council of Churches Episcopal representative (General Assembly 2006); Co-chairman of the International Anglican/Roman Catholic Commission for Unity and Mission and member of the Lambeth Commission.
ends release
Issued by the Office of the Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town
Inquiries: Cynthia Michaels – 021 763 1320 (office hours)